Bill Gaglione

American, b. 1943

William Gaglione, born in New York City in 1943, became an influential leader of the mail art movement during the 1960s. From that point he took an active role in the New York Correspondence School, along with his friend Ray Johnson, where he created his coded name "Dadaland." Long before the general public was aware of the artistic possibilities, mail artists were using rubber stamps to decorate their envelopes, finding abstract applications, and developing techniques. Rubber stamp art became an important genre within mail art, along with publications, postage stamps, photocopy, and audio cassette trade, and began to generate its own shows, magazines, and conventions. From being a contributor in the movement, Gaglione's position was to publicize the up and coming genre by utilizing the publications, shows, magazines, and audio cassettes.